When playing golf, golfers are not typically permitted to drive golf carts near a putting green. Walking golfers are not permitted to lay or stand their golf bags on a putting green. Further, golfers are frequently required to keep golf carts on cart paths during various weather conditions. Thus, in order to expedite play by avoiding multiple trips back-and-forth to one's golf bag, it is quite common for a golfer to remove multiple clubs from a golf bag for executing a next stroke or series of strokes. For example, if a golfer's ball is close but not quite on the putting surface, the golfer may carry to the putting surface area a chipping club such as a wedge or the like for getting the ball on the putting surface and a putter to complete the hole after the ball is on the putting surface. As another example, if a golfer is not sure of his lie from the location of his/her golf bag, the golfer may carry a variety of clubs to the ball location before making a final club selection. For an average golfer, this is a regular occurrence during a course of a round.
Since the golfer is carrying multiple clubs, when it is time to execute the next stroke, the golfer typically places the unused club(s) on the ground. There are drawbacks to this situation particularly if the ground is wet from morning dew or rain or if the player has difficulty bending over to pick up the club or clubs on the ground. It is desirable to maintain dry club grips to avoid slipping and to prevent damage to the grip. Additionally, golfers with joint or back problems or the like may find it difficult or uncomfortable to repeatedly retrieve a golf club(s) from the ground.
Several others have disclosed a stand assembly for a golf club that can enable the golf club to stand in an upright position when not in use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,595 (Hodson) and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0137070 (Horne) disclose assemblies for standing a golf club in an upright position. However, Hodson provides an actuation assembly in the middle of the club's grip. Since a golfer's grip is one of the most important elements of a golf stroke, it is undesirable to provide an actuation assembly that affects the grip. Horne provides an actuation assembly that extends from the grip end of the club when unactuated and is urged into the grip when actuated. Thus, since golf clubs are typically stored in a golf bag by placing the grip end into the bag, the prop rod spike may be undesirably exposed from the club head each time the club is placed into the bag, thus presenting a dangerous situation.
It may therefore be desirable for such a device to be incorporated into the club itself and to be easily extractable and retractable without affecting the grip and/or functionality of the club. It may also be desirable to provide such a device that minimizes the effect on the club's aesthetics.